It may be desirable to form items such a bags, clothing, and other items from intertwined strands of material. For example, woven or knitted fabric or braided strands may be used in forming portions of an item.
In some situations, it may be desirable for some or all of a strand of material in an item to be conductive. Conductive strands may be used, for example, to carry signals between circuitry in different portions of an item. Strands such as conductive strands may serve mechanical functions (e.g., by forming a part of a fabric) and/or electrical functions (e.g., by conveying signals).
Challenges may arise when forming items such as fabric-based items with conductive strands. It is often desirable for conductive strands to exhibit good mechanical properties, such as high strength and flexibility. Because conductive strands may need to carry electrical signals, the resistance of a conductive strand should generally not be too high. Conductive strands should also be compatible with the non-conductive strands in a fabric and should not form undesired short circuits with surrounding structures. If care is not taken, conductive strands in a fabric-based item may be overly fragile, may exhibit poor signal carrying capabilities, may be insufficiently isolated from surrounding structures, or may adversely affect the appearance and feel of the item.